If he actually did the stuff in the documents, then he is in deep trouble. As far as what is acceptable to laugh at, it is all relative. Some people like edgier humor, some people like Seinfeld. Some people like both. If you start trying to put limits on people's speech you are a shit head. That said, this guy, if he is guilty of the charges, did not act like a CEO. Forget gamer culture. Culture in general is in a weird spot. In a time where everyone can say anything they want to the world at a moments notice, people are a lot more quick on the trigger and not as savvy about what they say in social situations. I am completely for all kinds of speech. I don't think people's right to say anything they want should be infringed upon, but there is a such thing as tact. The problem with the Internet is that with all the freedom it allows, people think that once they get back to the real world, things really are equal for everyone. They aren't. I can get away with things that a higher profile person cannot get away with a far as speech because a higher profile person has a lot more to lose, thus a lot more people watching and waiting to take advantage when they slip up. In as litigious a society we live in, you have to watch out for yourself and what you say to certain people. It sucks, but until that changes, it is what it is. I mean we have comedians being threatened with lawsuits at this point. It's sickening, but we let is get this way. It goes back to culture in general. Entitlement is everywhere and with everyone only looking out for themselves an thinking their rights are more important than everyone else's, shit like this happens.

Wow, so many pages. Sooooo many White Knights. I hope they fry the bitch, if what they say she did is true.

People, please don't shit where you eat. The tension in that place must be insane right about now...

@EthanML:

Did people use too many big words for you to follow what is going on?

@Citizenkain: I'm impressed you can type from way up on your horse, oh mighty one. I wish I could be so grand as to fully join in your no doubt highly intellectual forum argument like the rest of you fine gents.

Don't be a presumptuous little prick.

@EthanML: Then don't say things "Sooooo many White Knights. I hope they fry the bitch, if what they say she did is true."

This article is a bit misleading without the woman's side of the story if the stuff @Grondoth posted is accurate. It sounds like Wardell is a fucking pig and justifies it by saying, "I own the company. It, and your job there, exist to suit my purposes, not vice versa.-" That's a fucking twisted sickening attitude to have towards a woman you allegedly sexually harassed.

I don't know what to make of this story. The guy certainly sounds like a jerk, and it also sounds like this lady did something she shouldn't have in retaliation.

I always liked that one Stardock game, Galactic Civilizations. But apparently, after reading the wiki, it seems they also published one of my favorite PC games of all time, Uplink. I'll withhold judgement for now, but you can still love a publisher/developer's game and hate the company, and specifically it's owner/CEO. (EA anyone? Did I hear someone say Activision?)

@Arkasai: Sworn testimony. This is true. This guy is an ass, an asshole, and a child. Anyone who takes his counter claim that she actually stole all those files seriously is being taken for a ride. Don't get taken on rides by dumb jerks.

@Oni said:

Hey, guy? Sexual harrassment is not cool. Belittling her feelings about it even less so. So yeah, fuck off.

You're absolutely right, but you know what might be even more uncool and downright scary? Just how frequently people will fabricate things without the slightest thought that have the potential to absolutely destroy someones well being, even if never convicted.

Wardell's posts are only an "interesting legal tactic" in the sense that they're going to bite him on the ass. And if Stardock's lawyers down't crack down on him, they're not doing their job and ought to be fired. He's not making himself look any better.

From what we seem to know right now, the countersuit seems rather insubstantial. The sexual harassment case, on the other hand, does not. Maybe new facts will change that, but I don't expect that to happen.

There is enough bad faith on both side that I think it is a very bad idea to judge without knowing fully the context.

I will stop following this until the courts have settled. Healthier.

This is none of the Internet's business, Patrick.

Both parties are in the wrong, as far as I can tell. Only Brad's being the bigger dick here. I wonder if both cases can be thrown out?

Sexual harassment laws are a joke. I knew a guy that use to play around with a girl at work. They knew each other for many years. Both the guy and girl would joke around sexually with each other. Another employee, a man, didn't like it, so he reported the other guy for harassment. She didn't see it as harassment at all.

The guy ended up spending five or six thousand dollars on lawyers to deal with the nonsense.

Maybe if everyone involved at Stardock did not engage in this immature dumbfuckery then maybe they could have released a game that was not complete shit.

@kevingadd said:

@Dredlockz said:

@dvorak: Word

And even if he developed something, even if it was a story about notch being a total pervert, who gives a shit? Its the video games they make that matter.

I hate this crap journalism of shifting through people's trash for a headline.

If you're only looking for the latest details on the latest game releases, you can just go visit a site that regurgitates press releases. No journalism required.

This article here? This thing? It's called journalism, because it involves researching a subject, checking and cross-checking sources, interviewing people, and then writing about it and posting it on the internet. Yes, it's unfortunate that sometimes journalism results in subject matter that makes you uncomfortable or doesn't precisely match what you happened to be looking for when you went to a website, but it's not a journalist's job to make you comfortable. Not everything that turns up when a person like Patrick goes digging will be heartwarming stories about a successful indie developer or cool unannounced game details. Sometimes it's the unpleasant details behind failed game launches and disintegrating studios.

Where would you draw the line? Do you think the stories about the collapse of 38 studios and the reasons behind it didn't have merit either? What about the backstory behind the long development history of Fez? Game development isn't pretty. If you actually want to know about it and what goes on, you'll see stories like this. If you don't want to know, that's your choice, but you'll have a hard time separating this stuff - the reality of development - from the games.

The part where you're confused is that Patrick did not do any journalistic leg work on this article. So, I fail to see where you are going with this. Giant Bomb, just like Game Spot, is not a games journalism website. It's what's known as enthusiast press. Maybe if this were a Trade Press site like GamaSutra, then this would be relevant.

His choice in employees doesn't strike me as all the good either. I know one of the guys brought in to "fix" elemental and he's known for stealing art assets from both other retail and and the community to promote his work.

And that whole initiative to buy in early initially worked, but ended up as a way to leave out features in SOSE and now Elemental.

You know, I used to work in an office during my 20's. Can't say I miss it.

I wouldn't presume to speculate about this case from the evidence on hand. But I would warn anyone who hasn't had that sort of job yet - in terms of other people's behavior and level of interest in the actual work, it's much more like high school than it is like college.

edit: From what I've read so far, both parties involved sound to be at fault, but yeah, Brad really isn't making it easy to sympathize with him. On a different note, while I don't completely agree with the above video, I think there's some truth in there somewhere...

If this women really did do the things that she is being accused of there is no excuse for that, if she had an issue with her boss harassing her that is something she should take to court, but putting the company, and other people jobs at risk is just low.

Yay for the internet...

@PoisonJam7: Stardock didn't create Uplink. Introversion did. The same guys that did Defcon and Darwinia. Stardock just helped publish it.

wow...a girl getting all lawered up after a guy hits on her. If she were fired I would understand but she left the company. Fuck her - hope she gets ruined financially for this sexist bullshit.

This is what he said:

NO one has suggested that if she hadn't done this that Elemental would have been a great game. But there is a huge gulf between having a "great game" and a "total disaster". The ultimate blame for the game's failure lies with me for reasons I've stated countless times. But that doesn't excuse someone from maliciously and intentionally wiping out years worth of marketing data, assets, etc.

But this is the law suits he filled:

This second suit seeks in excess of $1 million in damages from Miseta, claiming that just before quitting, Miseta "deleted, destroyed, and/or stole" the Elemental marketing materials, analytics, and trade show information. Without that information, the complaint argues, Stardock had to spend "vital time" leading up to Elemental's release "attempting to re-create" the marketing materials, "rather than programming, debugging, and otherwise readyingElemental for release."

Seem like someone has problem with his memory, eh?

Crazy is the only word I can think of, not sure what to believe but his email response to her bullet-points made him look an absolute dick.

This isn't relevant to my gaming news interests, or really any of my business at all, or really nothing i give a total fuck about so yeh.

Nothing to see here.

@McGhee said:

Sexual harassment laws are a joke. I knew a guy that use to play around with a girl at work. They knew each other for many years. Both the guy and girl would joke around sexually with each other. Another employee, a man, didn't like it, so he reported the other guy for harassment. She didn't see it as harassment at all.

The guy ended up spending five or six thousand dollars on lawyers to deal with the nonsense.

What court in the name of god would hear case without a plaintiff? What lawyer would even take the money? They'd be disbarred? How strange.

@blackwel said:

I'm making $86 an hour working from home. I was shocked when my neighbour told me she was averaging $95 but I see how it works now. I feel so much freedom now that I'm my own boss. This is what I do, Blue31.com

Are you fucking for real?? How can I make this much serious cash bro??

Anyway sexual harassment is something that is often dismissed as easily as it is accused. I don't have all the facts and neither does anyone here... but I hope the truth comes out and none of that settling out of court shit.

Here's another real problem: Stardock apparently has no reliable backups. Otherwise they could have easily used them to restore whatever was erased.

@dvorak said:

@kevingadd said:

@Dredlockz said:

@dvorak: Word

And even if he developed something, even if it was a story about notch being a total pervert, who gives a shit? Its the video games they make that matter.

I hate this crap journalism of shifting through people's trash for a headline.

If you're only looking for the latest details on the latest game releases, you can just go visit a site that regurgitates press releases. No journalism required.

This article here? This thing? It's called journalism, because it involves researching a subject, checking and cross-checking sources, interviewing people, and then writing about it and posting it on the internet. Yes, it's unfortunate that sometimes journalism results in subject matter that makes you uncomfortable or doesn't precisely match what you happened to be looking for when you went to a website, but it's not a journalist's job to make you comfortable. Not everything that turns up when a person like Patrick goes digging will be heartwarming stories about a successful indie developer or cool unannounced game details. Sometimes it's the unpleasant details behind failed game launches and disintegrating studios.

Where would you draw the line? Do you think the stories about the collapse of 38 studios and the reasons behind it didn't have merit either? What about the backstory behind the long development history of Fez? Game development isn't pretty. If you actually want to know about it and what goes on, you'll see stories like this. If you don't want to know, that's your choice, but you'll have a hard time separating this stuff - the reality of development - from the games.

The part where you're confused is that Patrick did not do any journalistic leg work on this article. So, I fail to see where you are going with this. Giant Bomb, just like Game Spot, is not a games journalism website. It's what's known as enthusiast press. Maybe if this were a Trade Press site like GamaSutra, then this would be relevant.

This is the worst work Patrick has done since coming back (Which is a shame cause I feel like he's been on a roll and gotten a nice pep in his step back. Amazing coverage of Walking Dead for example and generally being great on other things).

But THIS! This is frickin' Giant Bombtaku tier!

@PandaBear said:

@McGhee said:

Sexual harassment laws are a joke. I knew a guy that use to play around with a girl at work. They knew each other for many years. Both the guy and girl would joke around sexually with each other. Another employee, a man, didn't like it, so he reported the other guy for harassment. She didn't see it as harassment at all.

The guy ended up spending five or six thousand dollars on lawyers to deal with the nonsense.

What court in the name of god would hear case without a plaintiff? What lawyer would even take the money? They'd be disbarred? How strange.

@blackwel said:

I'm making $86 an hour working from home. I was shocked when my neighbour told me she was averaging $95 but I see how it works now. I feel so much freedom now that I'm my own boss. This is what I do, Blue31.com

Are you fucking for real?? How can I make this much serious cash bro??

Anyway sexual harassment is something that is often dismissed as easily as it is accused. I don't have all the facts and neither does anyone here... but I hope the truth comes out and none of that settling out of court shit.

I don't think it actually ended up going to court. But this was a long time ago told to me by a manager at a job basically telling all the new hires to watch what they say because of what happened to him. I don't know all the details really well.

@aagaard said:

@jesterroyal said:

Never go anywhere outside of work with your boss/employees. Ever. Moral of the story. They can sue you too easily. Just.. weird. I don't know either of these people enough to make a value judgement on them. But if she wiped those assets she deserves to pay for it. And if he truly assaulted her he also deserves to pay.

Or if you happen to live in a country where people don't sue each other left and right... do go outside of work with your boss/employees. Socializing is fun and getting to know your colleagues can make it easier to work together.

Yeah, seriously. I don't think I've ever had a job where I didn't go out to drink with my coworkers. Alcohol makes the world go 'round. If you don't go out, you end up being the wet blanket that no one likes. Heaven forbid you step out and find something to like about the people you spend the majority of your waking life with as actual people.

It seems that my posts in this thread ruffled more feathers than I had intended; while I still stand behind them, it does warrant some explanation:

My fully articulated opinion: I feel that this is clearly a case of an employee trying to have their cake and eat it too.

The fact that this is a female employee and involves inappropriate sexuality in the workplace is what makes this a story, but wasn’t really what set me off, I was entirely incensed by an employee trying to take advantage of an employer to employee relationship; a situation I deal with at my job on occasion.

I’m not advocating or defending sexism, I just don’t see that it was present to the degree that it had any effect on anyone at Stardock based on what was presented to read, certainly not to the degree that any one individual would deserve additional compensation over and above anyone else at the company.

My train of thought:

Timeline

June 4th, 2007 employment starts

May 1st, 2008 raise

June 11th 2008 raise

June 15th 2009 raise

June 6th, 2010 complaint letter

August 3rd, 2010 employment ends

Anything that happened before the first complaint isn’t applicable, while it isn’t right for him to behave the way he had, I don’t see how he can be held accountable for it if no one complained and others took part in it, including the employee in question, especially if it was a case of a bad sense of humour rather than malicious as it has been made out to be.

Three years of raises, three years with no complaints

What set off the complaint? Was it the hair touching? Seems frivolous. It is very suspicious that this would happen at the exact time they would be discussing an annual raise.

The bad behavior was not directed towards one single person, why should one person be compensated for it, everyone that is or has been an employee of Stardock qualify for some form of compensation if that is what ends up happening.

The intention of these laws are to give an oppressed person a way out of an intolerable situation without the fear of facing hardship, it’s not to compensation someone that put up with it. Putting up with it for 3 years; there was a value judgement made on the employee’s part, I want this job and I’m willing to put up with this to get paid, it’s a judgement that every employee in the world makes everyday, put up with my job, get paid. I would have been different if she had walked out without a job waiting for her and needed money to keep going while being out of work, but that isn’t what happened, she left for a better job with more pay.

There was no apparent retaliation after the complaint either, Stardock kept her employed for 2 months after the complaint and she ended up quitting for another job, she wasn’t fired.

The only thing that seems clear in all this is that Brad Wardell has poor judgement and a poor sense of workplace behavior; While I don’t believe that any of the employees should be compensated directly, I do believe that Wardell should be penalized, whether it be monetary award to a employment equity group, community service, sensitivity training or all of the above would be satisfactory.

Anyways, sorry for going a bit off the rails in here.

@shodan2020: Yes, that would be why I said PUBLISHED Uplink.

It's hilarious that after reading this article I knew that people would begin to take sides. As usual folks like Animista and KidAvenger have drawn their battle lines once again. Pathetic, it's very clear with the information that has been presented that regardless of the accusations both of these individuals are being dickheads.

Charge it to a bitchhhh...

Witness statements found in the response from Miseta's attorneys, however, contradict the claim. One employee specifically testified in her deposition that Miseta gave her a week's advance notice that she would be leaving Stardock, so that she "knew where [Miseta's] files were" and had access to relevant Google docs. Others had no recollection of Wardell or HR manager Angela Marshall (Wardell's sister-in-law) ever mentioning missing documents causing trouble with Elemental.

A former Stardock employee, speaking with Kotaku on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that a mere two weeks before launch, Elemental had many technical issues that had nothing to do with its marketing. The employee also added that at the time, nobody mentioned any materials having gone missing or any sabotage having taken place and showed Kotaku communications from Wardell that indicated satisfaction with how Miseta's staff replacement was taking over the review kit and review guide process.

Taken directly from the Kotaku article. Food for thought for those of you siding with Wardell...

I'm just going to leave this here...

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/24/stardock-lawsuits-reach-settlement-are-dismissed-with-prejudice/

Two lawsuits concerning Sins of a Solar Empire publisher Stardock have been dismissed,Kotaku reports.

One lawsuit, from the company's former marketing manager Alexandra Miseta, accused Stardock CEO Brad Wardell of sexual harassment. The other lawsuit came from Stardock against Miseta, alleging that she stole and destroyed company materials when she quit in 2010. Both suits were filed around the same time and went public last year.

Miseta and Wardell reached a settlement and the lawsuits have been dismissed with prejudice, meaning they can't be re-opened. No money was exchanged in the settlement, but one condition was that Miseta write a letter of apology to Wardell. In the letter, Miseta apologized for bringing the lawsuit against Wardell and said it was not her intention to delete data from her computer.

Wardell said he and Miseta agreed to drop their cases in exchange for her written apology. "Once we've received that, we feel vindicated," he said.

@kidavenger: A suitably bizarre end to a bizarre series of events.

I would've preferred an actual trial with actual evidence presented and an actual outcome. That the terms of the settlement seem to lean slightly to Wardell makes it appear that he was in the right, but there's not really enough evidence to judge (and it could be merely that he has superior legal counsel).

If I were in his shoes I would've preferred the trial, if I felt so righteous in my behaviour. Settlements do nothing to affect the court of public opinion, which of course is the only court this audience really cares about.